Musical transposing chart



W. M. MELIN. MuslcM4 TnANsPosmG 0mm.

y Y Ammmou msn num.A 191s. l Patented No 28 1922 4 sains-SHEET n.

wits; @new 3mm l WMM/Eff@ Y m3 JH?! A /23 1291,91

W. M. MELING.

MUSICAL TRANSPOSING C HAHT. Amlcmo'u msn Aucas. 1919.

1 ,436,77 1 `fatemi/ed Nov. 28, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2. im

v 9 b1 u lo M gg u, rf Q L s s i l u l s s l\ s ns S s s W. M MAELING.

MUSICAL TRANSPOSING CHART.

APPLICATION FILED AUG`5| 1919. 1,436,771 Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. M. MELING.

MUSICAL TRANSPOSING CHART.

. I APLlCATION HLED AUG- M1919. Pautend NOV. 28

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

and State of New York,

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

narranv STATES PATENT OFFICE.

To a7! y107mm it New York city,

WALDEIVLAR M. MELING, 0F NEW YORK,

.MUSICAL TRANSPDSING GHART.

Application led August 5, 1919.

71mg/ concern.' l

M.. Marlins, residing at in the county of New ork have invented new anduseful Improvements 1n Musical TransposingI Charts, ot which thefollowing is a specification.

This

invention relates to transposill charts for music, and is particularlyuselfu for teachers for crcises in all ot the clefs and keys gle sheetof musical characters,

of transposition giving pupils numerous exfrom a sinthe method beingshown in a clear and concise manner whereby the pupil may readily learnto tran spose.

The chiet characteristic of this invention is to provide a andaccurately chart of this character in transposed `.troni one key loanother without necessitating the operator first obtaining a thoroughknowledge ot transposition hefore operating this device.

Another important obiect of this invention iS to in which tlie musicalstatir is a separate sheet characters,

i'ovide a chart of this character arranged upon from that of the musicalmovement of the whereby upon sheet bearing the musical characters,relaitively tothe first-named sheet, the composition will be changedfrom one key to another.

Another salient feature of this invention is to provide a key andsignature belt which is cooperahle with cal chara cteis` indicate thekey, moved as required notes on the staff.

the sheet bearing the musi- VVhen the belt is moved toY the sheet willbe held or to correctly locate the Another object of this invention isto `provide a simple a nd eflic-.ient means for actuating the keysignatures helt and controlling the action of the musical charactersheet.

ln carrying out my invention, itis my purpose ha ving mounted for panelbeing spaced rollers over the musical characters to provide a panel tocarry a sheet thereon and rectilinear movement, the

arranged between ai pair' of is trained a beit,A

which sheet bearing the lying the sheet musical characters. Overbearingthe musical' chismebe easily i seriai No. 315,571.

ters yand also overlying said exposed belt portion, is a transparentsheet upon which is scoreda series of stais whereby the characters uponthe sheet carried by the panel will be given their positions `upon thestaffs. By moving the panel and the sheet bearing the musical characterstransversely of' these stas, the characters will automatically assume adifferent key corresponding to the distance moved. That is tosay,assuming that the characters are arranged in the key of C, and it isdesired to transpose them into the Vkey of D, the panel and sheetbearing the musical characters Willhe moved vertically so as to cansethe key note oi the key of C which is on the first line below the statiin the treble clef to move to the first space below the staff. It willthus be seen that all of the musical characters upon the panel will becorrespondingly moved and` thus changeV the characters from the key of Cto the key of D.V l am fully aware of the fact that it has hitherto beenproposed to transpose nrinsicalv characters by manipulation of panelsand sheets, but as far as am' aware I am the first to transpose thecharacters hy moving them transversely of a stad.

Other objects the invention will appear as the specification is read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front'elevation of my chart constructed in accordance withmy invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of my device showing the casing open;

Figure is a detail view ci the for moving the panel and belt.`

Figure 4 is atransverse section taken on the line 44'ofFigu mechanismigurei' isa, detail view of the rollers and be t.

Figure 6 is a detailed transverse sectional view of the panel and beltand o-l the shaft having' the" roller which (io-acts with the rack bar`shiftn the panel belt and rollers 'which carry t e belt.

Figure 7 is a` detailed View showing the shafts la and 21) incross-section, andthe gears 19 and 21 in elevation.

VFig/ure 8 is a detailed perspective show ing: ai modified formi of thestaff element.

Figure 9 Vis a horizontal` section showing the application of sainmedtcticn.

Figure l() is an, inlarfged view ot the bar 29a per se.

Similar' letters designate fcerresp'onrliirgl parts inV Figures 1 7 towhich niffrence will iirst be had.

A designates a rectangular casing formed of front and rear sections 1and 2, respectively, which are hingedly connected' to each other topermit of readv access to the interior of the casing. rear section 2 at4Athe inner sides of the side walls thereof are bearings 3, Figures2 and3, in which are disposed stub shafts# having pins `8. Arranged in'aiialalinement with and below the stub shaftsfl are rollers 5 to the upperends of kwhich sleeves 6 are fixed; the said sleeves 6 beingmovableendwise on the shafts 4 and through the nwardly-reaching portions of thebearings, and being equipped withslots 7 that receive the pins Sso thatthe shafts 4 and rollers 5 willturn together. i The lower end-s ot therollers 5 areV movable endwise :upon journals 5. carried by andextendingupwardly from the lowe' end wall 5l `oi' the casing section 2.Connected to and extending hetween the lower` portions of the` rollers5, so as to move up anddown therewith, is a bar 9 from which a rodlextends` downwardly and through `the wall 5*?, and is equipped with ahandle 11. Manifestly vertical movement ot' the rollers will attendvertical movement of the rod 10.

Fixed to the stub shafts 4 are `beveled gears 12 ,intermeshed withbeveled gears 13, Fixed on a. shaft 14, journaled in vertical extensions15 on the bearings 3., One end of the shaft 14 is extended through oneside walll of the section y2` and terminates in a handle 16. It will beseen from this construction that upon rotation of the Shaft 14 therollers 5. will be rotated synchronously in the same direction.v Theshaft Millas its intermediate portion appropriately threaded as at 17.while a` portion of the shaft adjacent to its right-hand end issepiaredv in cross-section as at 18 to receive a slidable gear 19.Journaled in vand extending1 between the bearings 3 is a shaft 20 whichis provided adjacent to the right-hand end thereo'lz with a gear 2l. thelatter adapted to be engaged by the gear 19. whereby a turning movementwill be imparted to the shaft 20 when the shaft 14 is rotated. The shaft20 is also provided with a'gear 22 intermeshed with a verticallyarranged'rack bar 23. The lower end ot secured to e. panel 2471110011.which the sheet 26 bearing the musical characters is to be placed. thepanel being*` provided at its upper end with retaining members orclips25 which serveto hold thesheet 26inproper position on the VVpanel. Thepan`el24fV is of such a lengt-h esito permit rectilinear-move ment ofthe same when the rack bar`23 is Mounted' within theV the rack harVv is:

`through half the distance .moved through the medium of the gear 22 andthe shaft 20. Thus it will be seen that I have provided means`foilrotating;Y the rollers" and simultaneously Vmoving the panel 24.

lnorde'axto Ymove Ythe panel and rollers a predetermined distance whentransposing a series of musical characters from one hey to another, theshaft 14 has mounted thereon a nut 27 in engagement with the threadedportion 17 thereof. Said nut 27 is provided at its upper and lower endswith transversely extending grooves 28. Figure 4,V which receive rods29, 29a. These rods are arranged above and below the shaft 14 and inparallel relation thereto, and are connected by means of bell cranklevers 30, pivotally mounted at 30a, the vertical portions of the levers3() being partially arcuate and receiving in their arcuate portions theshaft 14 is clearly shown in the drawings. The lower rod 29 is providedupon its upper edge with a series of teeth 31, any one ot which isengageable with a lug 32 formed on the lower end of the nut 27. Therighthand end ot the upper rod with a depending arm 33, disposed in agroove 34 formed in a collar 35, the latter being integral with the gear19.

Attention is directed to ,the fact that the ,gear 19V is provided withonly one tooth, Figure 7, while the gear 21 is provided with a series ofspaced notches 36. any one of which is adapted to receive the tooth ofthe gear 19 as will be understood.

In the device as shown the gear 21 will be moved: one-seventh of a turnto rotate the Shaft 20 a corresponding distance, whereby the panel willbe moved to cause a correspending shifting of the musical characters, aswill be hereinafter described as is necessary in connection with gear 22to produce the desiredvertical movement of the sheet. Although I havedescribed the specific means of actuating the rollers and panel, I wishit to be clearly understood that anyY suitable means may be employed forobtaining this result, without departingr from the spirit and scope ofthis invention.

W'ith particular reference to Figure S it will be understood `that inpractice the proper proportion of the elements will be importantinasmuch as for every7 turn of the handle 16 and the shaft 14 therollers ,5 will make one turn and the belt 37 will be advanced adistance equal to the circumfeh ence of each roller 5. This distanceshould be the same as that between indicia as F (1 gear 19 the gears 21and 22 should be turned one-seventh of a turn to shift the panel 24between the lines of the staffs.

Trained over the rollers ,5 and connecting;r

the Same is a belt or apron 37 which has imprinted thereupon staffs andvertical sets of bass and treble clefs and the signatures of the severalkeys, the corresponding key and signature on one staff being in verticalalinement with the signatures upon the remaining staffs, While thetreble and bass clots are arranged alternately throughout the verticalseries, as is clearly shown in Figure 2 et the draivin Arranged directlybelow each ot1 the elet marks are the letters indicating the respectivenames ot' the keys which are to he exposed with the elet and keysignatures, as will he hereinafter described. The stretch ot the helt B7between the rollers 5 is adapted to underlie the panel 24 and is passedforwardly through a vertical slot 39 formed in the panel andy adjacentthe letthand roller 5, whereby one vert-ical set ot key indicia willrest at the lett-hand side ot the sheet 26 and in exposed position. Thusthe vertical series of clefs and key signatures will indicate the key otthe musical characters.

By particular reference to Figure 3 it will he understood that turning*of the shaft 14 about its axis Will be attende-d by rotation of theupright rollers 5 and the movement ot the sheet BTAtrom one roller tothe other. One complete revolution of the shaft i4 is designed to turnthe rollers 5 sutlicicntly ar to present a fresh vertical series of keysignatures at the lett hand side ot' the sheet 26 in Figure E2. Thethread l? on the shaft 14 is illustrated'conventionally in Figures Q and3, but it is to he understood that in practice the said thread will heot' such pitch that one complete revolution of the shatt will beattended by movement ot the nut 27 toward the right or the lc't't inFigure 3 for a purpose hereinafter set torthn It will also he understoodthat when the said sha it 14 is turned through one complete revolutionthe single tooth on the gear l5) will cooperate with the gear 2l to turnthe shaft QI) and the spur gear QQ sulliciently fur to raise the rack 23and the panel 24 to position the stati's ou the sheet Q6 relative to thesaid vertical series ot key signatures. It is evident that the membersI9 and 2l must be in clutch in order to change the position of the panel and sheet. relative to the staffs, There- Vlore, the lug, r 32 tomake this change must lic traveling;4 in one ol" the interdental spacesin the har 3l. Further movement o i the lids will cause the separationof the members l!) and 2l so that the movement ot the belt will not heaccompanied hy a movement ot the panel. Such changes of key as `from anykey to its flat or sharp as from D to D-tlat or from lP to F-sharp wouldbe made Without a change ot the panel. Manifestly the depression of thebar 31 ivill be attended by rockingV of the levers 30, and the movementoi' the har Q9 toward the lett in Figure 3. with the result that againstthe action of the spring' 1S, the gear l2) will be moved out of thevertical plane ot' the gear 21 and consequently out of engagement withsaid gear 2l. ln this connection it will he noted that the belt 37 andthe panel Q4 carrying the sheet 2G will he properly positioned whereuponthe mechanism 3l, i9 and il will be stopped through the deiliression otthc har 3l by the tooth 32 carried on the nut Qi". When the plane of atransposed composition is completed, and it is desired to provideanother transposition, the operation described is repeated.

The tront section l of the casing A is provided with a rectangularopening 40 in which is suitably arranged a transparent sheet ot material4l which is in this instance transparent celluloid, the sheet being of'such a size as to completely close the opening 40. This sheet 4l isprovided With a plurality of musical staffs arranged transversely ot thesheet and in spaced relation to each other as at 42, While the innervertical edge of the sheet is painted or other- Wise treated at spacedintervals to provide the opaque portions 43 and the intervening;transparent portions 44, the opaque portions 43 being provided withrelatively small rectangular transparent portions 45, lt nih he seenfrom this construction that When the front section l is swung; so as torest in front of the rear section 2 of the casing, the transparent sheet41 carried by said section l. will be caused to overlie the musicalsheet 2G, the stalls 42 upon the transparent sheet beingy so arranged asto position the musical characters upon the stali's, as is clearlyshoivn in Figure l of the drawings. The opaque and transparent portions43 and 44, respectively, will cover certain p0rtions ot the exposed partof the belt 37 so as to display the key signatures at one end ot thestaffs 4Q upon the transparent sheet. The smaller transparent portions45 are adapted to expose the names ot the keys arranged under each ofthe staffs on the belt 37.

From the foregoing construction it will be seen that when it is desiredto change or transpose the musical characters upon the sheet 26 from onekey to another, by actuating'the previously described mechanism throughthe medium of the shaft 1.4 and handle lr6. the musical sheet Will bemoved upwardly or downwardly so as to cause the musical characters toassume different positions upon the stalis 4Q, While the belt 37 issimultaneously moved to expose the corresponding key signature. .lt willthus be seen that the musical characters are easily and quicklytransposed from one key to another by a simple manipulation of thehandle 16.

lf it is characters from desired to transpose the musical the treble tothe bass or It is to be understood that vice versa, the rollers i aremoved vertically or longitudinally upon the stub shafts l through themedium of the rod 10, so as to cause the treble signatures to be passedbeneath the opaque portions 43, and thus cause the bass signatures to beexposed in the transparent portions ela. Suitable means (not shown) maybe employed for locking the rod l0 in this position, whereby the musicalcharacters upon the sheet 26 may be read in the bass.

In Figures 8 and 9, I have shown a modified lorm oi my invention. inwhich I provide the front section la of the casing With aspring-actuated roller 46, such as is used upon a common shade roller,the surface of the roller being provided at spaced intervals withannular grooves 4 7, each of which is adapted to receive a cord 18. Thecords and grooves are arranged in series of fives to represent thecorresponding lines of a musical stall', the inner ends of the cordsbeing secured to the spring-aetuated roller, While the oppositeextremities are connected together in series of tives by means of a bar4,9, the medial portion ot' the bar 49 being provided with a loop whichis adapted to engage a hook 5l suitably mounted upon the section 2a. Inthis embodiment of my invention, I have substituted the cords for thelines upon the transparent sheet, and eliminated the transparent sheetand thus permit ready access to the sheet bearing the musicalcharacters, to correct or change the musical characters as the user maysee fit.

when the bar 49 is disconnected from hook 51, the springr within theroller 46 will actuate the roller t0 Wind the cords thereupon, thegrooves serving to keep the cords in their proper spaced relation. Itwill thus be seen that the cords may be readily removed from the surfaceof the musical sheet, and furthermore may be readily drawn intooperative position.

and operation of be apparent to those skilled tion and minor details ofconstruction may ent, is:

tion of the panel and forwardly throng slot of the panel and overlyingthe left-hand vertical portion thereof; said belt bearing vertical setsor signatures and key indicia, statt-bearing means through which themusical characters of the composition are visible; said staff-bearingmeans overlying the sheet bearing said characters, means for moving thepanel reetilinearly transversely to the lines of the staifs, means forrotating the rollers to move the belt at right angles to the line ofmovement of the panel, and connections from the means for movin thepanel to the means for rotating the ro ers, whereby the movement of thepanel is con trolled relative to the rotation of the rollers.

2. In a music transposing device, the combination of means for a sheetbearing the musical characters of a composition, means movablerectilinearly behind the rst-named means and visible at the left handside thereof; the secondnamed means bearing vertical sets of signaturesand key indicia, staff-bearing means through which the musicalcharacters of the composition are visible, said staff-bearing secondmeans transversely to the lines of the staffs, the movement of thesecond means being controlled by the movement of the rst means.

In testimony whereof I aHX my signature.

VVALDEMAR M. MELING.

